St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-02-12

q o@"
All her heritage had she sold.
Save these storm SCARED towers old.
To ransom her bethrothed who lay captive in
AlgerS,
And her face grew wan and white
AS she spun by day and night
The gold that bought his freedom had been sancti-
fed with tears!
From her many lowered home
Day by day she watched the foam,
And the waves that at the castles gate knocked
loud and ceaSeieSSy;
And beyond the fishing town
Stood with gabled roofs of brown,
Like fleet OF battered ships enchanted on yell
low sea.
Wooers came to win her glance.
Heroes of the sword and lance,
Sturdy merchantmen from RenneS who laid their
fortunes al her feet;
But she only gave them nay,
In her sad and gracious way,
And her face seemed pleading mercy, twas so
piteoUsly sweet.
So they left her sadly all
Standing by the gray sea WALL
With one hand upon the tawny deer hound
crouchng at her side,
And across the sands and sea
Her eyes wandered wistfully.
With the eager, longing look of patient, waiting
bride.
And one day passing ship,
Like a sea bird paused to dip
In the bay bef it pluned its snowy wings again
for fight;
And a -eSSage came for her,
That set heart and blood astir,
Sent bright bushes to her cheek and filled her
splendid eyes with light
He was free. Was free at last
And no memry of the past,
With its weary hours of waiting, dimmed her
happiness thatd
AL the seryitrde of years,
Wasted vgs. lonely tears,
Were forgotten, as she sought her silent room to
knecl and pray.
Now the days sped swift along,
And her heart seemed full of song,
As she sought her weary tasks, Singing softly as
she went;
And the chateau grim and bare
Now seemed lovable and fair
Asshe waited for his coming with trusting chid's
content.
So the winter passed away,
And the joyous holiday
Came, when maids and lovers offer prayers to
good st. Valentine.
Through St. Malo by the sea
Passed a goodly company,
Armored knights and queenly women, gayly in
the soft sunshine.
From her tower the chateaine
Watched afar that courtly train,
And a sweet hope stirred her bosom and her
heart beat loud and bold,
AS she saw one stately knight,
Clothed in silver and samte.
Foremost Of that glittering group in broderies Of
gold
4 LI, IN :1II|
~ zz1lkG0zIEE|
And as searchingly she gazed
On her lovers face amazed,
She marked a snowy palfrey in gay trappings at
his side
Where woman strangely fair,
With red blossoms in her hair,
Leaned laughing from her place in the garments Of
a bride.
Not tear, sob moan.
Still as saint in sculptured stone,
Wild eyed she watched the pageant pass in music
out of sight,
While the twilight settled down
On the sleepy fishing town,
There the wan-faced woman stood staring out
upon the night.
So they found her, crouching white
BY her easement where the light
OF gray morning through the lattice softly fell in
silver rain;
And they said that it was best
That the weary one found rest,
That the bridegroom Death had taken her In pity
from her pain.
Sunscarred, ghastIy in decay,
Stan Is the chateau on the bay,
And the fishers breathe an AVE" as they pass its
somber gates;
And they say that every night
OF st. Valentine light
Streams from out the highest easement, where
woman stands and waits